Brussels sprout caesar pita pizza (vegan nut-free caesar)

Are you a fan of Caesar salad? Then you will LOVE this Brussels sprout Caesar Pita Pizza recipe! This recipe is a whole new spin on Caesar salad. Not only is it transformed into a healthy pizza…it’s also completely vegan AND nut-free!

This Caesar pita pizza consists of Pitas, Brussels sprouts, sunflower seeds, vegan Parmesan cheese and an healthy, easy Tahini Caesar dressing….then finished off with a kiss of lemon zest.

This Brussels Sprout Caesar Pita Pizza recipe is light and fresh…but feels a bit indulgent…because it’s a pizza. It’s an excellent recipe if you are new in the kitchen or are just looking for an easy healthy vegan meal. Perfect recipe for a party as well! And although this recipe is vegan, feel free to throw regular cheese on it or even grilled chicken.

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Why you will love Brussels sprout caesar pita pizza

• EASY TO MAKE – This recipe is super simple and easy to make! The dressing only takes 2 minutes and a blender. And the other elements are even easier. Perfect recipe for beginners in the kitchen or if you looking to keep it simple…YET DELICIOUS…in the kitchen.
• LOADED WITH NUTRIENTS – This Brussels sprout Caesar pita pizza is LOADED with nutrients. Between the Brussels sprouts, the super healthy tahini caesar dressing, and the sunflower seeds…this is a pizza you can really feel good about!
• PERFECT FOR LARGE CROWDS – This recipe is incredibly easy to double or triple…making it a perfect healthy vegan recipe to feed a crowd. These pita pizzas are also super versatile! If you have a guest list of vegans AND meat eaters, you can make both groups super happy with these Caesar pizzas. Just prep the pizzas as is, but if you want, you can use regular parmesan on some. And if you want to add chicken or bacon too some, go for it!
• PERFECT FOR MEAL PREP – This recipe is excellent for meal prep! Simply prepare the Brussels sprout pita pizzas, but don’t bake them yet. When you are ready to serve, pop them in the oven for 10 minutes. Or you can bake them in advance, they just won’t be warm.

Ingredients needed to make Brussels spout vegan caesar pita pizza

• BRUSSELS SPOUTS
• PITAS – If you can get the pitas that aren’t hallo for sandwiches, cut those work too. Flat bread and pizza crust are also excellent substitutes if needed.
• VEGAN PARMESAN CHEESE – I used the brand Follow Your Heart because it’s so good! If you want to skip the vegan cheese, but still keep things plant-based, you can substitute nutritional yeast, which has a nice cheesy flavor. Or you can use regular parmesan cheese of course.
• LEMON ZEST – Lemon zest is the grated skin of a lemon. If you don’t have a grater, just slice of a super thin piece of the skin of the lemon.
• SUNFLOWER SEEDS – I used roasted and salted sunflower seeds for extra flavor.
• OLIVE OIL
• SALT
• BLACK PEPPER – fresh ground black pepper is best

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TAHINI CAESAR DRESSING

• TAHINI – Tahini is pureed toasted sesame seeds. It is thick in consistency, similar to a nut butter, making this a perfect ingredient to create a super creamy, vegan, caesar dressing. You can find Tahini in the nut butter section or the International section of the grocery store.
• WHITE BEANS – Use cooked white beans for this recipe. I personally used canned cannellini beans.
• WATER
• LEMON JUICE
• LEMON ZEST – Lemon zest is the grated skin of a lemon. If you don’t have a grater, just slice of a super thin piece of the skin of the lemon.
• NORI FLAKES – Nori flakes are seaweed flakes. They help develop a nice, fishy flavor that replaces the sardines that are traditionally found in Caesar dressing. You can usually find them in the International section of the grocery store and always online.
• NUTRITIONAL YEAST – Nutritional yeast, also known as nooch, is basically nature’s vegan cheese powder! Nutritional yeast is yeast made from living saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, which is the same yeast used to make bread. Nutritional yeast is a powdery, with large flakes and has a mustard-like color. Nutritional yeast has a unique, cheese-like flavor that can be described as savory and slightly nutty. This delicious, flavor boosting ingredient is very popular in vegan and dairy free cheese recipes and is often the key ingredient to create a dairy free, cheese-like flavor. You can find nutritional yeast in the seasoning or vegan section of most grocery stores. It’s always at Whole Foods and online as well.
• CAPERS – Capers help develop the fishy, salty flavor that is traditionally found in Caesar salad
• DIJON MUSTARD – can substitute any mustard
• BLACK PEPPER – Fresh ground black pepper is the best option because it has more flavor.
• BLACK SALT – Black salt is also known as Kala Namak. It is a volcanic rock salt produced in the Himalayan region. Black salt is an amazing addition to your spice cabinet. With its pungent, egg-like flavor it is a significant player in making this vegan tahini Caesar dressing taste more like egg that is traditionally found in Caesar dressing.
• GARLIC – Fresh garlic is best! But you can substitute garlic powder if needed.

HOW TO MAKE BRUSSELS SPROUT CAESAR PITA PIZZA

PREPARE THE TAHINI CAESAR DRESSING

Simply combine 2 tbsp of tahini, 1/4 cup cooked white beans, 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp lemon juice, zest from half a lemon, 1/2 tsp nori flakes, 1 tsp capers, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/8 tsp black salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, 1 clove of fresh garlic, and 1/2 tbsp of Nutritional yeast in a blender. Mix on high for 30 seconds to one minute, or until the dressing is creamy and smooth. Set aside.

PREPARE THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Wash and dry 8 Brussels sprouts. Then slice them nice and thin.

Place them in a bowl and combine with 2 tsp olive oil, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Mix until evenly coated.

BUILD THE PIZZA

Now it’s time to build the caesar pita pizzas! Lay out 4 pitas on a flat surface. Top each one with 1 1/2 tbsp of caesar dressing (6 tbsp total). Spread dressing out so the pita is evenly covered.

Evenly sprinkle 1 tbsp of vegan parmesan cheese on each pizza (4 tbsp total).

Top each pita with equal amounts of the seasoned Brussels sprouts.

Top each pita with 1 tsp of sunflower seeds (4 tsp total).

BAKE THE BRUSSELS SPROUT CAESAR PITA PIZZA

Place the 4 Brussels sprout caesar pita pizzas on a baking tray and place in a preheated oven set at 425ºF. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Pita pizzas will be ready when the pitas are starting to become a golden brown.

Remove from oven when ready. Top each Caesar pizza with lemon zest and a drizzle of extra dressing.

Serve and enjoy!

TIPS FOR MAKING BRUSSELS SPROUT CAESAR PITA PIZZA

• USE SOFT BEANS – You want to make sure your cooked white beans are super soft. I recommend using canned beans to make things simple. But if you use beans that you cooked from scratch, make sure they are soft so they blend into a smoother consistency.
• TASTE TEST – Always taste test your dressings and adjust as needed. When you are using natural ingredients, like lemon juice and lemon zest, the flavor of each lemon will vary. So always taste test and add more of an ingredient if needed.
• DRY YOUR BRUSSELS SPROUTS – Make sure you properly dry your Brussels sprouts after washing. Wet Brussels sprouts won’t bake as nicely.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

• Can I meal prep this recipe – BIG YES! Simply prepare everything, but don’t bake them yet. When you are ready to serve, toss them in the oven for 10 minutes to bake. OR YOU CAN bake them in advance. They will still be delicious, they just won’t be hot.
• How much dressing does this recipe make – This tahini Caesar dressing makes about 1/2 cup of dressing.
• What can I substitute for tahini or beans – If you need to skip the tahini or beans, you can also make a super creamy caesar dressing with vegan yogurt, silken tofu, or raw cashews.
• What do you use to replace the anchovies found in traditional Caesar dressing – To replace the fishy flavor of traditional Caesar, you will be using nori flakes and capers. The combination of these two ingredients create a plant-based fishy, salty flavor! If you want even more flavor, add a little caper brine.
• What do you use to replace the eggy flavor found in traditional Caesar dressing – Traditional Caesar dressing is made with egg yolk. To replace that eggy flavor with vegan ingredients, you will use black salt. Black salt is a salt that has a sulfury flavor similar to eggs.
• What do you use to replace the cheesy flavor found in traditional Caesar dressing – A lot of Caesar dressing has Parmesan cheese mixed in. To replace that cheesy flavor you will use nutritional yeast.
• Is this recipe vegan – Yes! This salad is completely vegan and plant-based. You can use regular cheese if you want to turn this into a vegetarian recipe instead of completely vegan.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH BRUSSELS SPROUT CAESAR PITA PIZZA

Looking for some delicious vegan Italian side dishes to serve with these Caesar Pita Pizzas? Check out these 10 EASY VEGAN ITALIAN STARTERS AND APPETIZERS!